Volkswagen GOLF ALLTRACK problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
99 owner complaints analyzed
4 distinct recall campaigns
11,000 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2017 to 2019 model years. Data snapshot: . 51 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Unknown Or Other is the most frequently named component, appearing in 27 of 99 complaints (27.3%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Braking behavior | 16 | 16.2% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 14 | 14.1% |
| Transmission and shifting | 9 | 9.1% |
| Steering behavior | 9 | 9.1% |
| Engine operation | 2 | 2.0% |
Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.
Component breakdown
Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Unknown Or Other | 27 |
| Electrical System | 20 |
| Structure:Body | 19 |
| Visibility/Wiper | 13 |
| Power Train | 12 |
| Air Bags | 11 |
| Engine | 11 |
| Fuel/Propulsion System | 6 |
Unknown Or Other: 27; Electrical System: 20; Structure:Body: 19; Visibility/Wiper: 13; Power Train: 12; Air Bags: 11; Engine: 11; Fuel/Propulsion System: 6
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 35 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 11 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 3 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 1 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 0 |
| 150,000 and above | 1 |
Under 25,000: 35; 25,000 to 49,999: 11; 50,000 to 74,999: 3; 75,000 to 99,999: 1; 100,000 to 149,999: 0; 150,000 and above: 1
Under 25,000 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (35). 48 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.
Complaints over time
Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2017 | 1 |
| 2018 | 17 |
| 2019 | 17 |
| 2020 | 13 |
| 2021 | 13 |
| 2022 | 13 |
| 2023 | 13 |
| 2024 | 4 |
| 2025 | 6 |
| 2026 | 2 |
2017: 1; 2018: 17; 2019: 17; 2020: 13; 2021: 13; 2022: 13; 2023: 13; 2024: 4; 2025: 6; 2026: 2
Pattern summary
Unknown Or Other leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 16 complaint narratives. Electrical and battery issues appears in 14 complaint narratives. Transmission and shifting appears in 9 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.
Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.
Complaint evidence
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 11019841 · 2017-08-26 (August 26, 2017)
VEHICLE IS A 2017 VW GOLF ALLTRACK S WITH A 6-SPEED MANUAL TRANSMISSION; LESS THAN 2 WEEKS OLD WITH ~400 MILES ON ODOMETER AND A LITTLE OVER 1/4 TANK OF 87-OCTANE GASOLINE. ISSUE OCCURRED AT APPROXIMATELY 10PM ON AUGUST 25TH, 2017. VEHICLE WAS ACCELERATING AWAY FROM A RED LIGHT AT A HIGHWAY INTERSECTION CROSSING ON A SLIGHT DOWNHILL GRADE. MANUAL TRANSMISSION WAS SHIFTED FROM 1ST INTO 2ND GEAR DURING ACCELERATION, AND THE VEHICLE PROMPTLY LOST ENGINE POWER, POWER STEERING AND BRAKES NEAR THE MIDDLE OF THE INTERSECTION. MY WIFE COASTED THE V…
Owner-reported narrative. 422 miles reported. Look up ODI 11019841 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11058284 · 2018-01-03 (January 3, 2018)
WHEN VEHICLE IS IN MOTION, THERE IS CONSTANT BRAKE NOISE AND SQUEALING AT LOW SPEEDS (UNDER 25MPH) WHICH BECOMES LOUDER WHEN TURNING LEFT OR RIGHT; BRAKING DISTANCE IS LONGER WHEN THE VEHICLE IS COLD. DEALERSHIP RESURFACING AND REPLACING PADS AND ROTORS DOES NOT ALLEVIATE THE PROBLEM.
Owner-reported narrative. 9,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 11058284 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11101498 · 2018-06-12 (June 12, 2018)
THE VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY. FOLLOWING RAIN, WATER LEAKED INTO THE CAR FROM THE PANORAMIC ROOF AT THE A-, B-, AND C-PILLARS AND REAR HATCH ON BOTH THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDES OF THE CAR. WATER DRIPPED FROM THE DASH ONTO THE FRONT FOOT WELLS. WATER ENTERING THE PILLARS COULD COME INTO CONTACT WITH PILLAR-MOUNTED AIRBAGS AND WITH ELECTRICAL CONTROLS AND SYSTEMS MOUNTED IN THE DASH.
Owner-reported narrative. 2,200 miles reported. Look up ODI 11101498 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11104887 · 2018-06-30 (June 30, 2018)
THERE'S A WATER LEAK COMING FROM THE PANORAMIC SUNROOF. THE CAR IS USUALLY GARAGE KEPT BUT I HAD IT PARKED OUTSIDE ONE WEEKEND WHEN WE HAD BAD STORMS AND THAT'S WHEN I NOTICED THE WATER STAINS IN MY HEADLINER AND THE WATER DRIPPING DOWN INTO THE BACK HATCH AREA. THE DEALER HAD TO SEND THE CAR TO A BODY SHOP TO HAVE THEM GRIND DOWN WELDS THAT HAVE CAUSED AN OBSTRUCTION IN THE DRAINAGE SYSTEM. THERE'S STAINS IN THE HEADLINER AND AN ODOR THAT'S COMING FROM IT SO IT APPEARS TO HAVE MOLD. THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO FIX THE LEAK AND INSTALL A NEW HEADLINER …
Owner-reported narrative. 7,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 11104887 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11093635 · 2018-05-14 (May 14, 2018)
2017 VW GOLF ALLTRACK: HAVE HAD THIS CAR FOR FOUR MONTHS NOW AND JUST HAD THREE DAYS WORTH OF RAIN HERE IN MICHIGAN. THE FRONT OF THE HEADLINER IS COMPLETELY SOAKED ON BOTH A-PILLARS AND AROUND THE OVERHEAD CONSOLE OF THE VEHICLE. DEALERSHIP SAID IT WAS MORE THAN LIKELY WELDS THAT DIDN'T GET SMOOTHED DOWN AND THEREFORE PINCH THE TUBES THAT DRAIN THE TROUGH IN THE SUNROOF AREA NOT ALLOWING IT TO FLOW BACK INTO THE OPENING IN THE CAR. IN OTHER WORDS, VW SOLD ME A CAR WITH A KNOWN DEFECT! NOW I HAVE TO TURN MY CAR IN FOR SOME UNKNOWN AMOUNT O…
Owner-reported narrative. 8,900 miles reported. Look up ODI 11093635 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11115079 · 2018-08-01 (August 1, 2018)
THE FRONT STRUT MOUNTS ON THIS CAR CONTINUALLY GO BAD. AFTER SEVERAL MONTHS OF MIXED CITY AND HIGHWAY (NO OFFROAD) DRIVING, THE STRUTS MAKE A RUMBLE AT LOW SPEEDS ON ANYTHING BUT A FLAT ROAD, AND CAUSE A LOW WHINE WHEN TURNING THE STEERING WHEEL AT LOW SPEEDS (I.E. PARKING, RIGHT TURN ON RED). THE MOUNTS HAVE BEEN ACKNOWLEDGED REPLACED BY THE DEALER TWICE UNDER WARRANTY AND I AM CURRENTLY ON MY 3RD AND THEY ARE MAKING THE SOUNDS AGAIN. MY CAR IS CURRENTLY AT 23,000 MILES AND HAS THE SAME SYMPTOMS. PREVIOUS FIXES OCCURRED AT AROUND 9,000 AND…
Owner-reported narrative. 9,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11115079 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11323353 · 2020-05-05 (May 5, 2020)
ISSUE WITH AUTOMATIC DSG TRANSMISSION AFTER 3 DAYS OF OWNERSHIP AND 182 MILES ON THE ODOMETER. ISSUE FIRST HAPPENED WHILE ACCELERATING FROM A STOP AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT AFTER IT TURNED GREEN. AFTER SHIFTING FROM 1ST TO 2ND THE CAR LOST POWER, FREE REV'D AND AFTER APPROXIMATELY 5 SECONDS WAS ABLE TO ENGAGE 2ND GEAR QUITE ROUGHLY. PRESENTED AN ERROR MESSAGE THAT STATED "TRANSMISSION IN EMERGENCY MODE: REVERSE NOT AVAILABLE." PULLED INTO A PARKING LOT UNDER IT'S OWN POWER AND POWER CYCLED THE IGNITION. ERROR CLEARED, NO WARNING LIGHTS AT THAT PO…
Owner-reported narrative. 182 miles reported. Look up ODI 11323353 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11636066 · 2025-01-15 (January 15, 2025)
When I take my foot off the brake to accelerate, the car jerks backward and shudders. It feels as though it’s about to stall. When pressing the gas pedal, the car also has delayed acceleration. Both of these issues create dangerous driving conditions. The car hesitates when accelerating from a stopped position, nearly causing me to be rear-ended at traffic lights on multiple occasions. I’ve also experienced a couple of close calls while making right turns on red, as the car hesitates and won’t accelerate immediately. I feel unsafe driving the v…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11636066 at NHTSA ↗
Recalls by model year
All campaigns in the snapshot affecting each model year, including recalls announced years later.
Recall campaigns
Shared campaigns appear once in each affected model year.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2017 | 1 |
| 2018 | 0 |
| 2019 | 3 |
2017: 1; 2018: 0; 2019: 3